Creating Concept Maps withMAXMaps
Tamara Pataki (https://www.maxqda.com/workshoptrainer/tamara-pataki)

Session Overview
Building concept maps is excellent for discovering your data and exploring emerging
themes. They are also valuable tools for visualizing relationships when developing
new concepts or theories. In addition, concept maps are a helpful tool to present
your research and make it accessible to others! In this session, we will examine how
the MAXMaps feature in MAXQDA allows you to build maps for all these purposes.
We will review how to add elements, create connections, work with model
templates, and edit visualizations in MAXMaps.

1. When and Why Use MAXMaps?
• Use free maps in the project planning and data collection phase• MAXMaps' main advantage is a live connection to your data. Tip: Use MAXMaps
in the exploration phase to navigate through your project. Work with the importfeatures (context menu on project elements) to import connected data
• Create maps to analyze your data: create maps from scratch or edit existingvisualizations (see section 6)• Use maps to communicate your meaning-making process and results with youraudience.

2. Overview of Map Types
You can use different map types in MAXQDA to explore or visualize your project
data. You can create free maps or work with model templates.

Advantage• Create your own design• Use and adjust a pre-build
designPossible
Use Cases• Overview of fieldwork
conditions• Contextual elements ofresearch settings• Representation of researchmethods• Geographical information on
fieldwork conditions• Temporal progression ofresearch projects• The cause-effect relationshipbetween different categories• Memos belonging to specificdocuments or documentgroups• Relationships between codes• The subcategories of codes• The constellation of code in agiven document in the shapeof a so-called case map

3. Creating and Editing Maps
1. Importing Elements
The first step of creating a map from scratch is to import the various documents,
codes, coded segments, memos, etc., to the MAXMaps workspace. These elements
connect your map to your data and allow you to navigate through your project.

Elements that can be imported:• Document groups• Document sets
• Codes and subcodes• Memos• Coded segments• Free objects, not connected to anyelements in your MAXQDA projects (text,pictures, icons etc.)

2. Connect and Arrange Elements
The second step of designing your map is to connect and arrange elements. Youcan do so by:• Creating links• Labelling links and connections• Use forms (for example to indicate groups• Move elements by drag and drop
• Use layers to design your presentation

4. Working with Models
In MAXMaps, you can work with documents and code models. Several preconfigured templates are available.

Overview of model templates in MAXMaps. From Kuckartz & Rädiker (2019, p. 243)

5. Model Examples

6. Editing Visualizations
You can import and edit the following visualizations in MAXMaps:• Code Map• Document Map• Creative Coding
After creating the visualization, select the option “Save as Map in MAXMaps”. Go toMAXMaps to find the map. You can now use the editing options described above.

7. Suggested Reading
Kuckartz, U., & Rädiker, S. (2019). Analyzing qualitative data with MAXQDA.
Springer International Publishing.
Vanides, J., Yin, Y., Tomita, M., & Ruiz-Primo, M. A. (2005). Concept maps. Science
Scope, 28(8), 27-31.

Wheeldon, J., & Faubert, J. (2009). Framing experience: Concept maps, mind maps,and data collection in qualitative research. International journal of qualitativemethods, 8(3), 68-83.
Wilson, J., Mandich, A., & Magalhães, L. (2016). Concept mapping: A dynamic,individualized and qualitative method for eliciting meaning. Qualitative HealthResearch, 26(8), 1151-1161.

To learn more visit: https://www.maxqda.com/